Tá fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Moynihan.

I thank the Minister of State for coming in. Gaelcholáiste Synge will be the vitally important Gaelscoil for the Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8 area that has long been awaited by the local community. It is due to open at the end of August this year. The establishment of this school is the result of a very long and committed campaign by activists in Dublin city to ensure the students in this part of the city have access to Irish-language education. Despite the school having been established on paper, there has been no clarity and no timeline on when it will actually come into being.

There are real concerns around it. It does not have the staff it needs nor the buildings to accommodate the projected number of students, not to mention the deeply flawed way in which the Department failed to engage with students, family and staff of the CBS Synge Street when the Gaelcholáiste was first established. The Department of education has essentially been radio silent on the future of this school and has avoided meeting local campaign groups or making clear commitments around the future redevelopment of this site. The south inner city is crying out for a Gaelcholáiste, but the Government's approach and lack of planning are making a shambles of the opportunity.

One way in which the Department can take a positive step forward is by acquiring the Christian Brothers' monastery, which is adjacent to the Synge Street site and is currently being sold off. The Gaelcholáiste could use this very effectively. This building was formerly used by Synge Street CBS and has many practical rooms, classrooms and a full-sized canteen. Its acquisition would be a great benefit to Gaelcholáiste Synge. The building the Gaelcholáiste is situated in now has 13 classrooms, which is not enough to accommodate the 400 students intended by the Department to study at the school in the future. Likewise, the building lacks any practical rooms whereas the additional space that would be afforded by the monastery would allow a broader curriculum to be offered to students. It would also enable the school to become wheelchair accessible, which is very important. The Christian Brothers have considerable debt with the Department of education due to the amount of redress. As the monastery is a Christian Brothers' asset, it would be wise for the Department to acquire the building as part of the compensation. I would like the Minister of State to make a statement on whether this is something that has been considered by the Department. Will he commit to assisting the school in becoming fully established and effective, put all the worries the school currently has away and ensure that there is a healthy, vibrant and positive Gaelcholáiste?

I thank Senator Andrews. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss Synge Street CBS becoming a Gaelcholáiste. The Department of Education and Youth is working with the Edmund Rice Schools Trust, ERST, to ensure the successful transition of Synge Street CBS to a co-educational Gaelcholáiste on a phased basis. The first phase of this transition will involve the first year intake only, which will take place in September 2026. The work has included regular communications and meetings between the parties involved in the transition to a Gaelcholáiste, including the Department of education.

In regard to the accommodation requirements of the school, officials from the Department have visited the school and conducted an assessment of the its immediate needs. A project manager has been appointed to oversee these accommodation requirements. The anticipated work that will be required is currently being reviewed by the Department. It is intended to advance these accommodation requirements as quickly as possible and the necessary work will be completed in time for the Gaelcholáiste to receive its first students in September 2026.

With respect to the Christian Brothers' monastery located close to Synge Street CBS, the Department of education has no plans to acquire this property from the Christian Brothers. There is already extensive and adequate school provision at the Synge Street site. For this reason, the monastery mentioned by Senator Andrews does not form part of the Department’s plans for the Gaelcholáiste. While the acquisition of the monastery is not part of the Department’s project plan, the relevant sections within my Department have been notified of the intention of the Christian Brothers to sell the property in the near future.

In relation to the Gaelcholáiste, my Department has identified the necessary work to be carried out on Synge Street CBS to enable it to transition from an English-medium, single-sex post-primary school to a co-educational Gaelcholáiste on a gradual basis over the next five years. In the meantime, my Department intends to utilise available space in Bunscoil Synge Street, a Gaelscoil on the same site as the future Gaelcholáiste. The bunscoil will require some minor realignment work, which will take place over the summer months. The Synge Street CBS patrons and the future patrons of the Gaelcholáiste, the ERST and other relevant parties have been kept informed of the Department’s proposed works.

It is worth noting that, while conducting a survey of the available space in the bunscoil, it came to the Department’s attention that a private language school not connected with the Department was utilising space within the building without the knowledge of the Department. The patrons have been notified of our Department’s requirement for this space also.

I thank the Minister of State, but that was somewhat disappointing. The south inner city is in desperate need of a Gaelcholáiste. The community is crying out for it. The Government's approach is falling far short. That is disappointing. There is an opportunity here to purchase the monastery. It would make a huge difference in the long term. Long-term planning is very important. It is disappointing that the Minister will not meet the local campaign group. There has been radio silence. The local group knows the details of what is needed and the least it deserves, given the campaigning it has done over the years on this issue, is to be engaged with and consulted. I urge the Minister of State to ensure that this campaign group is met and there is some satisfaction brought about.

The Government and the Department are very committed to this project. This project has received huge coverage. Synge Street CBS is known not just in Dublin, but right across the country in terms of the school's history and so forth.

I take the Senator's point fully. Across Dublin and the rest of the country, communities are coming together looking for Gaelcholáistí and Gaelscoileanna. The specific unit in the Department that looks at these matters advises schools to go year by year because it is a big undertaking for any school to go from a single-sex school to a co-educational school and from the medium of English to the medium of Irish.

My understanding is that there is huge engagement with the relevant parties. I take the point raised in relation to the local campaign group but my clear understanding from what I have been told by the Department is that there is ongoing communication between the ERST and the various partners in education to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible. Synge Street becoming a Gaelcholáiste will be of huge benefit to the communities mentioned in Dublin 2, 4 and 6. We have other communities within Dublin and right across the country that the Department is engaging with also. I take the Senator's concerns but I assure him that the Department is working closely to make sure this transition is as seamless as possible in September 2026.